CP 6154-13045-970-Campinas-SP Recebido em 13/2/97; aceito em 23/7/97 MECHANISM REACTIONS OF PHOTODEGRADATION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS CATA-LYZED BY TiO 2. Conventional technology used in the treatment of wastewater has been pointed as a major environmental problem for sustainable development, since minimization is not addressed accordingly. Advanced oxidation processes (AOP), based on the formation of hydroxyl radical (. OH), a powerful oxidant agent, have been considered to be a potential technology for the destruction of many toxic compounds. Photocatalysis using solar light, an AOP, has been studied for nearly 20 years and recently attracted great interest as a clean-up technology. However, solar detoxification processes have not yet achieved commercial success. This article presents an overview of reaction mechanisms at the surface of semiconductors used as photocatalysts (specially TiO 2), when heterogeneous photocatalysis is used to remove hazardous compounds from contaminated sites.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract